Miami Book Fair

First Draft

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.

Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.

You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!

This is how it goes: Write a story. Have a drink. Write a better story. This is how it goes: participants are led in a short, themed writing prompt, then everyone gets some time to write their stories. Those who want to, will read their work aloud. We’ll take a break to drink and socialize (your first drink is on the house!), then we start the whole process over again.

Upcoming Events

March 2019

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Anjanette Delgado
Theme: How to Write Real People
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

April 2019

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: JV Portela
Theme: Reading to Transform & Translate
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

May 2019

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Writers Institute Edition
Instructor: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
(followed by A Night With the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 featuring Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Hanah Lillith Assadi, Akwaeke Emezi, Lydia Kiesling, and Moriel Rothman-Zecher)
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt.…

September 2016

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Theme:Explaining the UnexplainableInstructor:Roxanna Elden
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

October 2016

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Theme: #6WordsMiamiInstructor:Alicia Zuckerman
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

November 2016

Write a story. Have a drink. Write a better story.
First Draft is a monthly writing prompt workshop that turns happy hour into great stories. This is how it goes: participants are led in a short, themed writing prompt, then everyone gets some time to write their stories. Those who want to, will read their work aloud. We’ll take a break to drink, eat and socialize, (your first drink is always on the house!) then we start the whole process over again.…

Notification

December 2016

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Theme: Bad TripsInstructor: Nick Garnett
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

January 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: J.V. Portela
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!
J.V.…

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Theme: Nature Calling Instructor:Vanessa Garcia
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

February 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Theme: Dirty Love Instructor: Nick Garnett
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

“First Draft: Ébauches & Banbòch” is a series of writing workshops conducted in a fun (banbòch!), supportive and professional environment. It serves as a platform for writers with French/Creole Caribbean ties and various levels of writing experience as they learn/sharpen effective writing techniques to give voice to stories about the Caribbean-American experience.
Fabienne Josaphat will lead our first workshop in English, French, and Haitian Creole.
Theme: “Fille de Famille, Fille du Peuple: Class Stratification in the Caribbean”
Fabienne was born and raised in Haiti,…

Notification

March 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Theme: Time As A Character Instructor: Roxanna Elden
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

“First Draft: Ébauches & Banbòch” is a series of writing workshops conducted in a fun (banbòch!), supportive and professional environment. It serves as a platform for writers with French/Creole Caribbean ties and various levels of writing experience as they learn/sharpen effective writing techniques to give voice to stories about the Caribbean-American experience.
Marie-Ketsia Theodore-Pharel will lead our workshop in English, French, and Haitian Creole.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Marie Ketsia Theodore-Pharel (Ketsia) currently lives in Homestead, Florida,…

Notification

April 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
National Poetry Month Edition!
Instructor: Kacee Belcher
Theme: The Laughing Lush: An evening of poetic humor
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing.…

Notification

May 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Miami Writers Institute Edition
Instructor: Aja Monet
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

June 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Roxanna Elden
Theme: Writing from the Outside In
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

July 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Thomas Swick
Theme: Bad Trips
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

August 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Anjanette Delgado
Theme: Brave Beginnings
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

September 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Jan Becker
Theme: Micro-Memoir
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

October 2017

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Julie Marie WadeTheme: writing PRIDE & resisting PREJUDICE
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

February 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Caridad Moro-Gronlier
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!
Gay8 is a Hispanic LGBT art,…

Notification

March 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Roxanna Elden
Theme: Building Characters With Behavioral Science
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

April 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Guillermo Cancio-Bello
National Poetry Month Edition: Joy and the Poetic Image
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

May 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Fabienne Josaphat
Theme: Missed Opportunities, Second Chances
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

June 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Anjanette Delgado
Theme: Writing the Breakup
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

July 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Kacee Belcher
Theme: Sensory Overload: Music & Memory
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

August 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Nicholas Garnett
Theme: Working Your Verbs
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Margaret CardilloTheme: This Film Is Lit: On Adaptation
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

September 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Ruth Behar
Theme: Translated Lives
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

October 2018

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: Cecily Schuler
Theme:Remixes and Mash-Ups: When Stories Tell Stories
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…

Notification

February 2019

Have a drink. Write a story. Have another drink. Write a better story.
Instructor: MJ Fievre
Theme: Sexy, Sassy Love Stories
Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of informal writing events that turn happy hours into great stories.
You’re inspired. But you’re also thirsty. Swing by a First Draft event for a drink (the first one’s on the house) and a guided writing prompt. Share your writing. You never know what you might knock out as you knock one back!…